Slide behind the wheel of just about any Chrysler from five years ago, and regardless of stripe (Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge) all tripped over a common shoelace — the interior. The plastics looked like they were made from recycled garbage bags and the overall fit and finish was, to be polite, poor. It was, in far too many cases, a dog’s breakfast at best. It was at about this time Ralph Giles, the former head of design and now president and chief executive of SRT, vowed to change things. Well, he has lived up to his word, as is witnessed by the 2014 Jeep Compass Limited.

The dreadful materials have gone away in favour of nicer plastics, albeit most of them hard, and the lot is now butted together with admirable precision. This and the Limited’s long list of standard equipment combine to leave a much better first impression. The Limited’s heated leather seats are comfortable, the driving position is likewise and the layout, especially when up-level UConnect with its navigation system is along for the ride, is entirely logical. The latter, with its large touchscreen, remains one of the easiest multi-media gizmos to master. It also saves a sizeable 28 gigabytes of the hard drive for one’s personal music collection. The sun and sound group, which adds $1,050 to the price tag, then brings a power sunroof and a stellar sound system that includes nine Boston Acoustics speakers. The defining touch is found in the tailgate speakers — they can be flipped down when the tailgate is raised, which turns the Compass into party central.

What has not changed is the Compass’s flexibility. With the rear seats in the upright position, there’s a useful 22.7 cubic feet of storage space. Dropping the 60/40-split/folding seats opens up a flat floor and 53.6 cu. ft. of space. Where the Compass differs from most SUVs is the fact the front passenger seat also folds forward. As well as bumping the total cargo capacity to 61.8 cu. ft., it allows longer items to be carried in the cabin with the tailgate closed — driving with the tailgate ajar is a recipe for disaster.

The Compass Limited is powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder that delivers 172 horsepower and, more importantly, 165 pound-feet of torque. It is suitably quiet and it runs from rest to 100 kilometres an hour in 10.3 seconds and accomplishes the 80-to-120-km/h passing move in 8.8 seconds, which is not outstanding, but more than adequate. The disappointment was its thirst for fuel. The test average of 10.4 litres per 100 kilometres, and this included two extended highway runs, did not impress me.

What did impress me and prove to be the Compass’s single biggest improvement was its new transmission. The awful continuously variable transmission (CVT) has been put out to pasture and replaced by a proper six-speed automatic gearbox that includes a manual mode. The difference it makes to the driving experience is quantum. No more motorboating and flexing the gas pedal no longer feels as though one is pushing one’s foot into a bucket of porridge — that’s how soggy the CVT made the Compass and its siblings feel. It really does clean up the manner in which the Compass feels. It was also a very long time in coming, but worth the wait.

The Compass tested arrived with Jeep’s Freedom-Drive I all-wheel-drive system. Under normal circumstances, the system drives the front wheels, however, by monitoring throttle input, it sends power rearward before the wheels actually begin to spin. There’s also a lock mode for really slippery conditions. While not well suited to off-road applications, the Freedom-Drive I system did enhance the Compass’s sure-footed feel, especially on a slippery road.

When it came to handling, the Compass actually fared rather nicely, which was not what I expected. While the suspension is fairly basic in its design, it works well in both the ride and handling departments. There is some initial body roll if the driver carries too much speed into a corner and it does begin to understeer when liberties are taken, but both are well out and within acceptable limits. What makes things is the underlying sense of security — the steering’s feel and feedback proved to be precise and the P215/55R18 tires provided the required lateral grip. Even in a freak spring snow flurry that was enough to leave a white dusting on the road, the Compass handled the conditions admirably. Some of the credit goes to the aforementioned all-wheel-drive system. Conversely, the Limited’s long-distance comfort was very good — back-to-back runs of 400 kilometres left me feeling remarkably fresh and devoid of the numb-bum that many SUVs impart when driven a similar distance.

Truth be told, I would never have entertained the Compass — to me it was a wannabe Jeep. The 2014 edition, with its new transmission and swanky interior, has been transformed into the real deal. True, it lacks the off-road ability of its bigger sibling, the Grand Cherokee, but for most eventualities it more than works, and it does so while delivering surprising comfort for an SUV.